San
Joaquin County
Biographies
GEORGE HARPER
Now the pioneer custom tailor in
Stockton, having been in business longer than any man in his line in the city, George
Harper can look back on an interesting career in the world of sport, having a national
reputation in the baseball arena for many years, both on the Pacific coast and
in the big leagues. Mr. Harper was born
near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, August 17, 1865, where he was reared and educated,
learning the painter’s trade when quite young.
The life of outdoor sport made a strong appeal to him, however, and he
entered the great American game in 1886 as a pitcher for the Milwaukee team of
the Northwestern League. In 1887 he was
pitcher for Omaha in the Western League, coming to California in 1888 with the
Oakland team in the old California State League, but on August 19 of that year
was acquired by the Stockton team as pitcher to take the place of Eddie Lorigan, winning the championship that season.
Mr. Harper, after the ball season
was over that year, was engaged by H. J. Cochran, the manager of the steamboat
line and a well-known river man of the early days, to take charge of the
painting of the steamer J. D. Peters, just being built, and he completed the
job that winter. He pitched for Stockton
again in 1889, then for Sacramento in 1890, San Jose in 1891-92, Stockton again
in 1893, and then for six years pitched ball for the big leagues, playing with
the Philadelphia, Brooklyn and Rochester, New York teams. Returning to Stockton in 1900, Mr. Harper
became president and manager and part owner of the Stockton team, and during
that year he also opened up his tailor shop, which he has conducted ever
since. He still retained his interest in
baseball affairs, however, and in 1914, the year four teams of the Pacific
Coast League maintained a farm to develop young players, Mr. Harper was the
manager of the Stockton Club, owned and financed by Eddie Maier, who also owned
the Vernon team of the Coast League.
In February, 1889, Mr. Harper was
married to Miss Clara May Campbell, daughter of C. A. Campbell, former city
clerk of Stockton. One daughter, Leslie,
was born of this marriage. She is now
Mrs. Clyde Jenkins and the mother of one son, Clyde Jenkins. Mrs. Harper died in 1893. Mr. Harper’s second marriage, in 1898, united
him with Miss Rosalie Suppacher, the daughter of one
of Stockton’s old-time tailors, who for years was cutter for Lewis &
Johnson; they reside in the home purchased some years ago by Mr. Harper at 734
West Poplar Street. Capable and
progressive, he has built up a splendid business and stands high in Stockton’s
commercial circles and in the Odd Fellows, having joined Stockton Lodge,
October 25, 1889; he is also a member of the Eagles.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
685. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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